Battersea

Battersea is a district of South West London, England, located on the south bank of the River Thames in the borough of Wandsworth; it is located 2.9 miles south west of Charing Cross. It was named Badricesieg ("Badric's Island") by the Anglo-Saxons and later became known as Patrisey, and much of the parish was farmland before the Industrial Revolution. Starting in the 1750s, Battersea grew due to industrialization, the construction of bridges, and immigration (especially French Huguenots), and the Battersea Power Station was built from 1929 to 1939. North Battersea became known for its pollution and poor housing due to over-industrialization, and industry declined and moved away from the area during the 1970s. Modern Battersea has a large concentration of 20th century council flats, and its parliamentary representation often swung between the Labour and Conservative Party. In 2011, Battersea had a population of 73,345, 52.2% of whom were white British.